PORT ANGELES — A fifth-grade student at Dry Creek Elementary School in Port Angeles received an important visitor — and a huge surprise — on Tuesday.
Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman called Talia Anderson, 10, on stage at the school’s Celebration of the Arts assembly to announce that she had won a statewide contest to create the art for the back cover of the state voters guide — and to have her art included in the state’s 125th anniversary time capsule.
Talia was hugged by congratulatory friends before walking onto the stage and receiving a large printed poster of the drawing she made for the contest.
“This has been kept secret for a while,” Wyman said.
Millions of printings
The artwork will be printed on the back of the 3.2 million voter guides that will be mailed to every household in the state in October, she said.
The state received more than 300 entries in the contest, including several from Dry Creek Elementary, Wyman said.
Talia’s art featured George Washington with a birthday cake along with the state bird, insect, flower and other symbols.
Her parents, Tamara Keller and Dean Anderson, proudly watched their daughter receive the high-level accolades.
They were told of the award and had to keep it secret, Anderson said.
It is the second award Talia has won for art. She also has won an essay contest, Anderson added.
The secret was kept successfully, though Talia later said her friends told her she would win the contest.
Capsule ceremony
Talia will be invited to the centennial time capsule encapsulation ceremony in Olympia to see her artwork be included.
The time capsule is to be entombed in the state capital building Nov. 11, to be opened in the year 2389, Wyman said.
The state also is looking for the next generation of “keepers” of the time capsule, she said.
Keepers must be born in Washington state between Nov. 4, 2004, and Nov. 18, 2004.
A new time capsule will be created every 25 years, with new keepers from each new generation charged with knowing the locations of the capsules and making sure the state doesn’t forget them.
All will be opened at the same time in 2389.
Prospective keepers can apply at www.capsulekeepers.org. Registration closes Oct. 21.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
